Power-transmitting axle



Feb. 13, 1923. Q 1,444,908

7 R. W. FULTON POWER TRANSMITTING AXLE Filed 06%. 29, 1921 2 sheets -sheet, l

, nuc/ ii NOR' laid/are I INVET.

Filed Oct.

2 sheets-shet 2 INVENTOR.

\N'flNESsES W m T Vania. M

Patented Feb. 13,1923. 1 444,

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RICHARD w. FULTON, or ivnw ronmn. Y.

v POWER-TRANSMITTING AXLE;

Application filed October 29, 1921. SerialNo. 511,390.

To all whom it may concern: piece or flange 19, on the axlell, andthe Be it known that I, RICHARD W. FULTON, outer ends of said pins. are supported by the a citizen of the United States, residing at flange 20 which formspart of'the stub axle 55" New York, in the county of New York and 21. The flange 20 of said, stubaxle is fur-' 5 State of New York, have invented certain ther rigidly connected to the extension piece new. and useful Improvements in PoWer- 19 by the bolts 22. The central housing 11; Transmitting Axles, of which the following the extension piece 19, and the stub axle is a specification. 21. when bolted together, form the load car- 60 My invention relates to power transmit rying axle-with openings wherein the gears ting axlesin which theengine power, of a vand 16 are mounted. ,Q j

motor vehicle, is transmitted to .theroad It will .be seen thatthestub axle 21 may wheels with a considerable gear reduction, be made concentric with the power 'transthereby providing an axle adapted for use mitting shaft 12, in which casethe hub 23, 65 with heavy motor vehicles. journaled on the stub axle, togetherwith the 15 Theobjects of my invention are,'fi rst, to internal gear 24 carried bysaid hub, will provide an axle of the type referred to which be concentric with the pinion. 1 1. The inwill be light'in weight; second, to reduce the ternal gear 2 1 is in the ,planeof and meshes -cost of construction; and, third, to increase with the intermediate gears 15-and 16, there- 7 the efficiency of such an axle. fore power imparted to rotatethe'shaft 12 I attain these and other objects, as hereinand the pinion 14:, will be transmitted after pointed out, by the mechanism illus through the intermediate gears 15 and 16to trated in the, accompanying drawing in the internal gear 24-, thereby rotating the which- I hub 23 with a considerable reduction of 7 5 Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section speed between saidshaft and said hub. 25 of part of the load carrying axle andgone An annular cover plate 25 is attached to of the wheels; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the internal gear 24 to form an oil-enclosing one end of the axle as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. chamber for the gears, said cover plate form 1 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2 with the wheel ingv a running joint'with the extension piece and hub removed. 19 at a point inwardly ofthe gears. 1 30 Similar reference characters referto simi Mon ted. ;on the-hub 23 is, a wheel26,

lar parts throughout the several views, which maybe of any desired type. By re- Referring to Fig. lpthe central part of 'movingthe nuts 27 said wheel may be rethe load carrying axle 11 is hollow and, moved from the huh- 23 without removing forms a housing for the bevel driving gears said hub or any of the gearing. I 35 and diiferential mechanism,which parts are At the outer end of the hub 23 is a cap not shown, but are of the, type commonly 28 to which isattachedan inwardextension used in automobile axles. The power transor stub 29, said stub serving as an abutment mitting shafts. oneofwhichis indicated as to hold the shaft .12 in position longitudi- 12, are enclosed within the axle 11. the inner nally, heuever it is desired to remove the 40 en ds of said shafts receive the power which shaft 12, the-cap 28, together. with the stub they transmit from said differential. At the 29-is (unscrewed from the huh-and awithouter ends of said shafts, and connected. drawing-rod may then-bescrewed into the therewith by the splines 13 is a pinion 1 1. threaded hole 30 in-ithe endrof the shaft 12, which meshes with the intermediate gears for the purpose of withdrawing saidshaft.

a5 15 and 16. It will be seen; inthe preferred Prior to my invention axles have been construction shown, the teeth of the gears made in which the wheel is concentric to the v15 and 16 support the pinion 14 and the power transmittin shaft-and with a gear outer end of the shaft 12, and-a journal is reduction between the power shaft and the not required for the outer end of said shaft. wheel, but in such axles it is usual tohave 50 The pins 17 and 18, on which the gears 15 a special wheel with the gears inside, and

and 16 are journaled respectively, are supithas beenv necessary in such prior axles to ported at their inner ends by the extension take the wheelapart when removing it from the axle. In my invention it is possible to use ordinary types of wheels, thus reducing the cost of manufacture, and to easily remove such wheels as hereinbei ore pointed out.

it will. also be seen that my invention further differs from somewhat similar axles previously constructed, in that in such previous types one of the antifriction wheel bearings has been mounted on the axle inwardly of the gearing; In such prior axles it is necessary to use a very large diameter wheel-bearing to encompass the axle at this point. In my invention both bearings are mounted outwardly of the gearing and smaller diameter bearii'igs can he used, thus reducing the cost of construction. also in my lnventlon the load carrying axle can be made larger, the point inwardlyof the gears, and consequently of lighter section.

' It is intended that the above description and drawings shall be considered as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, and many changes 'bemade in this invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

axle wheel journaled on the end of What I claim is: H V

1, In a drivin'g'mechanism, a hollow axle with an end adapted to have/a wheel journaled thereon,a power .hatt and a pinion thereon within said axle, said axle having a longitudinal opening through the end, through which. said power shaft may be withdrawma plurality of intermediate gears projecting through lateral openings in the axle into engagement with said pinion and supporting said pinion and the outer end of said shaft, a wheel jour'naled on the end of said axle entirely outwardly of said lateral openingsand intermediate gears, and an internal gear mounted on said wheel. and.

' meshing with said intermediate gears. I

2. In a dr ving rueehanism. a hollow axle,

a power shalt and pinion thereon within said axle, mean:

removing said pinion, an iutei'meejliate (rear projecting throu 'h a lateral opening in the and into engagementwi 11 said pii' on,

said

div. of sa t. laterand an i heel and mesh].

no; wit

In a iriving'n'ieehanisn'i, hollow load :zarrymg axle comprising an; end, a power sh 1ft concentric with. said axle end, said axle end having alongitudinal opening through which said power shaft may be withdrawn,

an intermediate gear meshing-with said pinion, a wheel ournaled on the axle end enfor forming a slidable .drivinnf engagement between said shaft and said pinpower tirely outwardly of said. intermediate gear, and an internal gear mounted. on said whee and meshing with said intermediate gear.

4. In a driving axle, in combination, a hollow load carrying axle, a tubular stub axle rigidly attached to the end of said load axle, a power shaft enclosed within said hollow axle and adapted to be withdrawn longitudinally through said tubular stub axle, a pinion having a driving engagement with the end of said shaft, an intermediate gear meshing with said pinion, a wheel journaled entirely on said stub axle, and aninternal gear mounted on ing with-said intermediate. gear.

5. In a driving mechanism, a hollow load carrying axle with a tubular end adapted to have a wheel journaled thereon, a power shaft and pinion thereon within said axle,

said axle end being constructed to form a longitudinal opening 'therethrough and adapt-ed to permit withdrawal of the power shaft therethrough, a wheel journaled on said said axle end, andgearing adapted totransmit power from said shaft and pinion to said wheel, said gearing being inwardly on the axle relatively to the journals of said. wheel.

7.1a a driving axle, in combination, a load carrying axle having a hub jour'naled thereon, a power shaft parallel to said axle, a pinion onthe end of said shaft, an inter-- mediate gear meshing with said pinion and positioned inwardly of the journals for said hub, an internal gear mounted on said hub and meshing with. said intermediate gear, and a wheel detaohably mounted on said hub.

8. In a driving axle, in' combination, a hollow load earryingaxle, a tubular stub axle attached to the end of said hollow axle, a shaft enclosed. within s i hollow axle and adapted to be withdrawn longitudinally through said tubular stub axle, a hub journaled entirely on said stub axle, a pinion having a driving engagement withthe end of said shaft, a plurality of intermediate gears meshing with said pinion, an internal gear mounted on said hub and meshing with said intermediate gears,and a wheel detachably mounted on said hub.

9. In a driving axle, in combination, a. holsaid wheel and meshlow load carrying axle, a tubular stub axle attached to the end of said hollow axle, a power shaft enclosed Within said hollow axle and adapted to be withdrawn longitudinally through said tubular stub axle, a hub journaled entirely on said stub axle, a pinion having a driving engagement. with the end of said shaft, a plurality of intermediate gears meshing with said pinion, an internal gear mounted onsald hub and meshing with said intermediate gears, an annular lubricant enclosing cover mounted on. said huh and having a running joint With the load axle inwardly of said gears, and a Wheel detaehably mounted on said hub. RICHARD W. FULTON. 

